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L.A. Confidential

Play trailer Poster for L.A. Confidential R 1997 2h 16m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
99% Tomatometer 165 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).
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L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential

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Critics Consensus

Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.

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Critics Reviews

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Ella Taylor L.A. Weekly 10/20/2021
A masterfully smart and soulful film that bows low before genre even as it betrays it. Go to Full Review Jay Carr Boston Globe 10/20/2021
4/4
One of the things the film conveys, in addition to institutionalized corruption, is the energy and excitement of a city that knows it's on the move. L.A. Confidential is juicy dynamite. Go to Full Review David Stratton At the Movies (Australia) 10/19/2021
4.5/5
Dante Spinotti's widescreen camerawork and Jeannine Oppewall`s production design brilliantly recreate the somewhat tawdry world of a glamorous city which is starting to lose its glamour. Go to Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Jul 6
4/4
...with great skill telling several interwoven narratives that expose corruption, venality, and murder with compelling twists and turns that will leave the audience riveted until its closing frame. Go to Full Review Dimitris Passas PopMatters 11/28/2023
L.A. Confidential‘s representation of a long-gone era in Los Angeles is exemplary, and the 1950s are enlivened on screen in an accurate and opulent manner. Go to Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies 03/08/2023
4.5/5
The flawless ensemble..., the masterfully written story, the vibrant yet gritty vision of 1950s LA - most everything clicks in this fittingly cynical and undeniably seductive period crime thriller that still maintains its style and sizzle. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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jerry s 3d A flawless script based on a great novel. Stellar cast. This is what a movie is supposed to be. See more theguywithawheel23 Jan 27 A mystery thriller that moves like few others. The twists and turns will be obvious to any average movie goer, but the plot was never the focus. This is a clear cut character piece and here, few can rival the masterclass work on display. The cast is flawless, the script is magnificent and Hanson's directing somehow weaves all of it together so it's not only (structurally) a marvel, but wildly entertaining. See more 豹 抱 @ActivationB Jan 10 Rollo Tomasi, the best Deathrattle in cinematic history lol See more Eli H @EliHendricks Jan 6 Beautifully shot and arguably the true best picture of 1997. The tight script does rush to the finish in the last thirty minutes and the final shot is a little bit of a cop out, but it makes up for it by being a great watch and *Spoilers!* shooting Kevin Spacey. See more Will G @Kingofthepixies Dec 26 Just about the perfect movie. If it can be improved anywhere please let me know. See more Thomas D @Thom1967 Dec 20 Even better than the J. Ellroy novel. That says something ! Very, very close to be the perfect movie… acting, action, story and all the rest… all is fantastic ! One of my all times favourites See more Read all reviews
L.A. Confidential

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Cast & Crew

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Curtis Hanson

Director

Kevin Spacey

Jack Vincennes

Russell Crowe

Officer Wendell 'Bud' White

Guy Pearce

Det. Lt. Edmund Jennings Exley

James Cromwell

Capt. Dudley Liam Smith

David Strathairn

Pierce Morehouse Patchett

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L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential (1997) L.A. Confidential (1997) L.A. Confidential (1997) L.A. Confidential (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).
Director
Curtis Hanson
Producer
Michael G. Nathanson, Arnon Milchan, Curtis Hanson
Screenwriter
Curtis Hanson, James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 19, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$64.6M
Runtime
2h 16m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
35mm, Scope (2.35:1)
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